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Qarros, Father of War and Death
Qarros '(KAR-ros) was a deity of battlefields and war worshipped primarily by the Dwarves of the Rach'oin Mountains. Since the coming of men to the lands of Du'Rothin, Qarros has accepted their prayers as well, and even made himself more welcoming to Human worshipers. He has expanded his portfolio to include the realm of death, usurping that power from the Lady of Fate when her power was weakened during the Spawning. History Qarros's worship amongst the dwarves of the ancient times was largely comprised of self-mutilation with whips and the ritualist crushing of enemies' bones with warhammers. The faith was considered a dark but fundamental component of Dwarven culture, and his priests and practices are still honored to this day in the Thanes' halls. Indeed, serving in the priesthood of Qarros was considered a noble calling, at least until the faith darkened considerably since the Battle-Lord's theft of the domain of death from the Lady of Fate. The spread of Qarros's worship to the Human newcomers was slow. At first, only a few of the most brutal Human warriors offered him prayers, as their own lords of battle and tactics abhorred unnecessary bloodshed. Then, after the coming of the Orc hordes and the resentment of the raging beasts grew amongst the Human populace, shrines to the Father of War and Death sprung up all over the south, and Qarrosian priests used captured Orcs as sacrifices to repair the land and mend the bodies of the wounded throughout the realm. Now, despite the dark and macabre nature of their faith, Qarrosians are considered heroes among the southern villages and towns for their work in healing the lands and lives of those who have been most deeply scarred by the raging Orcs. Relationships Qarros still holds close relationships with the whole of the Dwarven Pantheon, but remains distant from the majority of Human deities. While his followers are devoted to the destruction of the Orc hordes, Qarros himself seems impartial in the matter so long as Human and Dwarf alike continues to do battle against them in his name and ignores Shaliayah as much as she ignores him. His one true enemy amongst the Gods and Goddesses of Du'Rothin is the Lady of Fate, who still holds a grudge against him for the theft of the portfolio of death, and considers him unworthy of its stewardship. Church Amongst both Humans and Dwarves, Qarrossians loudly proclaim their Lord's tennants and laws concerning the treatement of warriors and battles. Any site where a large number of foes did battle and died is considered holy ground to the practitioners of this faith, the strength and importance of such a site depending on the number of dead and how recently the battle occurred. In the southern part of the kingdom, where the raids and hordes are most common, his shrines are numerous and his clergy revered. As one moves north throughout the kingdom, his congregation shrinks, his power lessens, and his clergy are met with fightful or confused glances and hushed whispers. No matter the race or the location of the followers, the priests of Qarros adorn their bodies with the rib and jaw bones of their vanquished foes. Often, a bronze-cast skull hangs from their belt, a trophy from a fight that the priest feels defined their faith or represented some important event in their life. Followers of Qarros are rarely political, but there are exceptions. Lord-Captain Thelian Gorehammer of Sutter'Roth, the Citadel of the South, is a famed Qarrosian battle-priest that clawed his way to the command of the citadel so that he might make it a Temple-Keep in honor of his patron. Through successful political manuevering, he has succeded at doing just that, and leads the whole of the cities garrison in sundown prayers and nightly executions of the Orc prisoners that populate the castle's dungeons serve to advance the Battle-Lord's power in the region. Gameplay Information *'Alignment: 'Neutral Evil *'Domains: 'Blood, Death, Destruction, Evil, Ferocity, Leadership, Loss, Metal, Tactics, War *'Favored Weapon: Warhammer *'Porfolio: '''Battlefields, Death, and War *'Power: 'Greater *'Titles: 'Father of War and Death, the Battle-Lord *'Worshipers: 'Human and Dwarf warriors, southern commoners of both realms. *'Special Note: '''While Qarros grants spells of healing and resurrection, he does so begrudgingly. He is quick to deny spells of this nature to followers who do not reguarly provide him with sacrifices to match or exceed their request. Category:Deities